Wireless Industry Seeks Consistency on Power, Poles at NARUC
SAN DIEGO -- States could speed 5G deployment by harmonizing rules for accessing poles and power, state commission staffers were told Sunday by wireless infrastructure industry officials at NARUC’s summer meeting. Meanwhile, the Telecom Staff Subcommittee cleared a resolution meant to increase affordable connectivity program (ACP) enrollment (see 2207080016).
Crown Castle seeks “consistent rulemaking across the board, state by state,” to get power and pole attachments for wireless networks, said Wes Jones, the company’s regional manager in California. “That is a key component missing and what is really hurting our ability to build 5G faster.”
California’s three big utilities have different metering processes and it can take 12 months to get power to new wireless facilities, said Jones. Arranging power happens before applying for a permit, he said. Since 5G facilities don’t use much power, there should be “a faster solution,” he said. Meanwhile, having to replace poles before attaching antennas is costly and time-consuming, said Jones: “We don’t think that the utilities are waiting for us to pay for their infrastructure, but at times it does feel that way.”
Having state commissions instead of courts handle wireless deployment disputes may be advantageous, said ExteNet Assistant General Counsel Haran Rashes. A commission’s decision will apply across a state, whereas courts in different parts of a state may decide similar cases differently, he said. Also, it can be challenging to explain industry’s case to judges who often don’t understand the technology or have local government backgrounds, he said.
It’s easiest to build 5G networks in about 30 states with small-cells laws, said Rashes. Industry is fighting for New Jersey to join the other states, but it has been challenging to get a bill through the state Senate, he said: “We’re talking to a wall.”
The staff subcommittee plans "a more detailed examination" of 5G technology, deployment and software issues discussed Sunday, Chair Joseph Witmer told us Monday. Witmer is counsel to Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Chairman Gladys Brown Dutrieuille.
The NARUC subcommittee adopted the ACP resolution unanimously without discussion or amendment. It will go next to commissioners on the Telecom Committee for a vote Tuesday. If adopted, it would go to the NARUC board for final approval Wednesday. The proposal by Nebraska Public Service Commissioner Crystal Rhoades (D) would seek to increase awareness campaigns and encourage more connections between the national verifier and state databases for Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
NARUC should adopt the ACP resolution, California Emerging Technology Fund CEO Sunne Wright McPeak emailed Friday: “There must be widespread intense promotion of ACP by the public sector.” In California, only about a quarter of ACP-eligible households are signed up, said McPeak: CETF surveys show more than 60% are unaware of ACP or other affordable internet services, and 75% of connected low-income households are paying more than $25 monthly, she said.
A 2-2 deadlocked FCC can make bipartisan progress on robocalls and public safety, said Somos Senior Director-Public Policy Kevin Green on a numbering panel. A recent information-sharing agreement between states and the FCC (see 2206020052) could cut duplication of efforts and help robocall fighters build stronger cases, he said.
“There’s a ways to go still” on the FCC’s reassigned numbers database (RND), which became available in November (see 2110010050), said Tara Farquhar, manager-industry relations for Somos, the RND administrator. Many smaller businesses and organizations don’t realize they can use the RND to prevent making calls to numbers that have been reassigned to other people, she said. Green said some carriers are exploring adding 911 centers' administrative numbers to the RND to reduce denial of service attacks targeting public safety answering points.
Diversity in Cybersecurity
Workforce is "equally as important as the infrastructure" for strengthening resiliency, District of Columbia Public Service Commission Chair Emile Thompson said on a Monday joint panel by NARUC’s diversity and critical infrastructure committees. NARUC plans to vote later this week on a proposed resolution to increase its diversity programming.
Diversity brings a broader perspective of knowledge that can strengthen U.S. cybersecurity efforts, said Aurelia Williams, Norfolk State University Cybersecurity Complex founding director. "If you only have a single opinion at the table then you're further increasing the gap and you're always going to remain in a negative position."
Historically Black colleges and universities are an “untapped resource” for hiring cybersecurity professionals, said Williams: Agencies also need to work on retaining diverse staff. Many HBCU students aren’t familiar with NARUC, she noted. Do more than show up to job fairs, urged Williams: Reach out to academic faculty about making presentations and seek recommendations for internship candidates.
The U.S. loses 22.5 million data records daily despite investing $309 billion annually in cybersecurity, said PC Network CEO Katrin Hiller: Inclusive hiring is a great way to find more people for many unfilled cyber positions in a “very urgent space.”